Sir Bradley Wiggins has confirmed that he will not be riding the Tour de France if the defending champion Chris Froome holds his form up to the start of the race in Leeds on 5 July.

Bradley Wiggins of Sky Procycling warms up for Stage Three Individual Time Trial in the 2013 Tour of Britain in Knowsley. Credit: PA

The 2012 winner said today: “The team is focused around Chris Froome who has got a chance of winning his second Tour and it’s been decided to base the team around him.”

“I’m gutted,” Wiggins added. “I’ve worked hard all year for this, I went to California and won that, I feel I’m in the form I was in 2012, but I understand that cycling is a team sport and at the end of the day it’s about the team winning, at the end of the day it’s about Chris winning.”

Manxman Peter Kennaugh has been named in Team Sky's line-up for the 2014 Giro d'Italia, which begins in Belfast on May 9.

The 24-year-old, from Douglas, was a key member of the Team Sky squad which helped Chris Froome to Tour de France glory in 2013.

Manxman Peter Kennaugh Credit: PA

The nine-strong team for the first Grand Tour of the season will also feature Italian riders Dario Cataldo and Salvatore Puccio, Ben Swift, Edvald Boasson Hagen, Bernhard Eisel, Sebastian Henao and Kanstantsin Siutsou.

On confirming the team line-up Team Principal, Sir Dave Brailsford, said: “We’ve brought together an exciting squad and we can’t wait, not only for the start in Northern Ireland, but to perform in front of our Italian fans.”